


Big Sister Blues

by orphan_account



Series: In the Bleachers [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Sex, Other, Piper lowkey hates herself, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:16:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22757644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Piper takes a little time to think about her past and what keeps her going.
Series: In the Bleachers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1637839
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Big Sister Blues

**Author's Note:**

> Don't yell at me if any of this is wrong, I haven't played a whole lot of Fallout 4 yet.  
> That being said; I appreciate feedback anyway

Despite what the public may think of Piper Wright, she had a serious side. Under all the pushy, loud, happy-go-lucky attitude, there was a calming darkness. She hid it well, but sometimes it was nice to lose herself in it. All the thoughts and memories, like opening a vault and stepping into a new world (that was a good line, she’d have to remember that for later). A much more depressing world, like the one that stands today. A shadow.

Piper sighed, breathing out smoke from her cigarette. Nat hated when she smoked, so she did it at the top of the bleachers, where she could overlook the city as she spiralled into despair for the evening. A daily ritual that went uninterrupted for maybe an hour or two, before she would put the smile back on and go looking for more stories for her newspaper.

The thought almost made her laugh. If you told her ten years ago she’d be running a news stand in the “Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth” she probably would have called bullshit. “People from small settlements don’t make it to Diamond City” she was told. But look at her now. Living with her sister in one of the best protected Cities in Boston, what’s not to love? Besides the corrupt politicians and possible robots, it was heaven. There was always food, water, everything they needed. Maybe if she started trading, or working any other kind of job, they could afford those things more often. She had considered it, but then who would tell the people the truth?

The journalist took her hat off and slid to the ground. This was still much better than any other living situation the two had previously had, though. Aside from their home at the settlement, but Nat didn’t remember that house very well. Part of Piper was happy to know that, it meant she didn’t know how much of a downgrade their house/office was. She remembered when they didn’t have shelter at all, and she would spend long nights keeping watch just to make sure Nat didn’t get kidnapped, or killed by some animal. She remembered how she’d carry her baby sister around on her back because Nat got sleepy. She remembered their entire time out in the wasteland.

The scariest had probably been when a raider had come out of nowhere and tried stealing her sister. Nat was only six or seven at the time, which put Piper at about sixteen. They had just been travelling along the road when he had come out from one of the wrecked cars and waved a gun at them. Piper had been willing to give him their supplies, but it made it clear he was much more interested in Nat. She wasn’t about to hand her little sister over, and it turned into a scuffle. Nat cried when the gun fired, and Piper was left kneeling over a dead man with shaky hands and her own tears to cry.

That was the first time Piper ever shot another human being before. She threw up shortly after, then spent the next hour or so assuring Nat they were okay and to keep moving. She still didn’t know what that man had wanted a kid for, and, despite her curious nature, she didn’t really want to. But sometimes her mind drifted. What if she hadn’t saved Nat? Would her sister be groomed into becoming a raider? Or would it have been much worse? Would Piper even be alive? Probably not. All she knew was she was glad she did.

Nat was her main reason for living, she probably wouldn’t be able to go on without her.

How pathetic.

Piper let out another sigh, watching the cigarette slowly burn.

She had done so much to get by out there. From stealing, to odd jobs, to… whatever people wanted her to do, but it never seemed like enough. There was a time when a different group of settlers gave them a shack to stay in, more out of pity for Nat than anything else. So Piper gave Nat the “important job of holding down the fort” while she worked. Nat was happy too, and Piper often came back late to find her asleep on the floor, but when she was awake she always greeted Piper with a tight hug.

That was something that stopped after they came to Diamond City. Piper didn’t know if it was just because Nat was getting older, or if it was a result of finally settling down somewhere, but the reporter missed the hugs. A lot.

She probably learned about the disgusting things Piper had done and didn’t want to touch her.

The journalist took her hat off and ran a hand through her hair, letting out a tense breath of air. No, Nat was just too old to be hugging her big sister. Right? Right. She was fourteen now, way too old for that. Piper knew her little sister loved her.

But the doubt always comes, and it was so hard to distract herself.

“Piper, there you are.”

The older of the Wright sisters jumped in place, quickly putting her hat back on. “Uh, hi Blue….” The journalist blinked, looking up at the other woman. “I… uh, didn’t know you were in town.” She did her best to give the vault dweller a smile.

Blue, or Nora as everybody else called her, raised an eyebrow. “Yeah I stopped by to… are you okay? You look…” Nora hesitated before settling on; “tired.”

Piper laughed, and it came out uncomfortably bitter. “Just thinking. Lots of stories to tell, so little time, y’know?”

The vault woman took a seat next to her friend. “What’s wrong?”

“What isn’t these days?” She snorted, flicking the half burnt cigarette away. “Nat doesn’t like when I smoke, so I come up here.”

“I didn’t even know you smoked.”

“That’s because I always do it up here…” She smiled, earning an eye roll from her companion. “I’m not really addicted to them. I just… They’re good for when I want to think.”

“Think about what exactly?”

The smile wavered, and for a moment Piper considered telling her everything.

But Blue didn’t want to hear that. Blue would probably scold her. Tell her how wrong she was. How she’s a hypocritical thief. What a mess, how did Nat ever survive with her? All the things she’s done, everything she exposed her baby sister too. She could have done such a better job protecting her. Oh, Piper, you’re just a pathetic little tool.

You’re a disgrace, and everybody knows it.

“Piper?”

Blue can take great care of Nat.

“Piper.”

You should throw yourself into a Deathclaw nest, then you’ll be useful for something.

“Piper!” The journalist yelped when she felt Blue shaking her, and slowly the other woman’s face came into focus. She pushed herself away from the vault dweller, falling onto her back and staying there. “Do I need to get the doctor?”

“No….” She moaned, not having the energy to pull herself back up. “I’m sorry. I’m… reflecting. On my life.” She sighed, dramatically placing an arm over her eyes. “It’s a lot, Blue. I think about what I’ve done and I just… Sometimes I think Nat is better off with you. Or Nick. Or… pretty much anybody else.”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because I-!” Piper sat up suddenly, almost ready to tear into Nora, before shifting. “I just want her to be safe. If anything happens to me…” She trailed off for a moment, before shaking her head. “McDonough would have her thrown out into the Commonwealth and I don’t want…” How was she supposed to phrase this? “I don’t want her to have to do what I did. I just want her safe, Blue. Just tell me you’ll keep her safe if I get killed or something.”

Nora was taken aback at the sudden outburst, but listened to Piper ramble her way through her thoughts anyway. She didn’t know much about Piper’s life before they met. She knew about their father being killed, and wandering the wasteland, but in truth never gave much thought on how they had gotten by. She figured shooting and looting, but they had been kids at the time, and Piper didn’t seem the type to go for a gun em down kind of approach.

This was a much more maternal version of Piper. Like a mother being protective over their cub. Nora could relate to that.

She shuffled closer to Piper, placing a hand over the journalist’s. “Nothing is going to happen to you.” She heard a laugh from the reporter, but it wasn’t as bitter as last time. “But if anything does happen, I promise I’ll look after Nat. I’ll raise her as my own.”

“Thanks, Blue.”

The vault dweller gave her hand a squeeze, before standing. “I’m going to the Dougout for a few drinks. Do you wanna come?”

Piper thought about it. “I… think I wanna stay here for now. But if you head out for another adventure, come find me.”

They shared a smile before Nora took off, and after a while, Piper decided it was time to go home.

She slinked her way down the bleachers and wordlessly made her way back to Publick Occurrences. The first thing she noticed was Nat, fast asleep on the couch, and a small smile snuck onto Piper’s face. As much as Piper hated the things she’d done, it had kept Nat alive.

That made everything worth it.


End file.
